7 Days, 7 Breakfasts

It's hard to work good nutrition into our
days. We're working longer and longer hours and still trying to fit in 30 to 60
minutes of exercise, not to mention all the studies coming out that say we're
not getting nearly enough sleep. The hours run out. The snooze button gets
pushed. Breakfast often turns into eating last night's leftover takeout during
the morning commute. Or worse, it turns into no breakfast at all.

People often skip breakfast in hopes of
getting more sleep or losing more weight, but in fact, people who replace
breakfast with extra sleep end up having less energy. Breakfast skippers also
tend to gain more weight. They start the day with a slow metabolism and then
overeat at lunch because they're hungry. You're much better off trying to eat
something nutritious in the morning so your brain and body rev up and you don't
start the day with cravings that often get relieved by donuts in the break
room. Here are seven breakfasts that you can squeeze into the busiest
schedule.

Note: Some of the recipes
call for eggs. You can use egg substitutes like Egg Beaters® (1/4 cup per
egg), two egg whites per whole egg, or tofu, depending on the recipe and your
dietary concerns. Additionally, some recipes call for whole wheat ingredients.
Gluten-free versions can be substituted in every case (but no white-flour
substitutes!). All nutritional information is per serving. Recipes are for one
serving unless otherwise noted.

Sunday: Mom's Pancake Recipe

Like so many of my family's "secret" recipes, this one began
life on the side of a package of food. In this case, it was a carton of eggs
(no surprise when you see the second ingredient). But this is a pretty good way
of sneaking extra protein to your kids—it'll definitely get a better
reaction than a boiled egg and a scoop of cottage cheese. For the grown-ups who
are watching their cholesterol, my brother came up with an alternative;
substituting six egg whites and half an avocado for the six eggs. The pancakes
turn out a bit green, but if you can get past that, they're quite tasty. You
can top them with your favorite fresh fruit. If you can't live without maple
syrup, go for grade B or grade C. Those syrups contain more of the natural
minerals that are filtered out of the grade A syrup. And they're cheaper!

Blend or food-process the first six
ingredients on high until smooth. Add milk slowly to reach batter consistency.
Cook on a hot, nonstick griddle. Number of pancakes varies depending on size.
Serves 6.

Preparation time: 15 to 20
minutes

Nutritional information (per
serving):

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Protein

225

15
grams

9
grams

1.5
grams

13
grams

Monday: Power Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the healthiest grains around.
The Mayo Clinic even includes it in its list of the top five foods to lower
your cholesterol numbers. It has a high soluble fiber content that helps reduce
cholesterol and slows sugar digestion, a benefit for people living with
diabetes. It also has a high insoluble fiber content, which has been linked to
cancer prevention. It's a good source of protein, as well as vitamin E, zinc,
manganese, magnesium, and iron, among other nutrients. While it is a little on
the bland side flavor-wise, it's easy to liven it up with some healthy
ingredients, including seasonal or thawed frozen berries, nuts, and
flaxseed.

There are a lot of schools of thought on the
best way to prepare oatmeal. Purists will choose unrolled oats, either whole or
steel-cut, and cook them forever (all right, 30 to 40 minutes). Those of us who
don't live on "Martha Stewart time" are more apt to select rolled or
quick-cooking oats, which can cook in about 5 to 10 minutes. And those of us
truly strapped for time enjoy the convenience of instant oatmeal. For this
recipe, use the plain oatmeal of your choice; just choose one that doesn't
include sugary flavorings like maple brown sugar, apple cinnamon, etc. We're
going to flavor it ourselves with high-antioxidant blueberries and
heart-healthy fats from walnuts and flaxseed. For extra protein, add half a
scoop of Beachbody's
Whey
Protein Powder.

1 cup prepared oatmeal (see above)

1 Tbsp. flaxseed

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (or a to-go
cup).

Preparation time: 10
minutes

Nutritional information (per
serving); without and with Whey Protein Powder:

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Protein

436

26 grams

48 grams

10 grams

12 grams

491 (w/ Whey Protein Powder)

27
grams

50
grams

11
grams

21
grams

Tuesday: Carl's Chocolate Almond
Shakeology®

I was able to get my
hands on Beachbody® CEO Carl
Daikeler's favorite
Shakeology
recipe. And anyone who has been fortunate enough to spend time in the company
of our energetic boss, you'll join me in saying, "I'll have what he's
having." For hard-to-find ingredients like almond butter or almond milk, you
could substitute peanut butter or soy, rice, or skim milk. For hard-to-stomach
ingredients like the raw egg, you could use
protein
powder.

Wednesday: Healthy Breakfast Burrito

Going to college in Southern
California, I gained a lot of sustenance from burritos of all kinds. I also
gained a lot of weight. Stuffed full of cheese, fried potatoes, and larded-up
refried beans, the breakfast burritos were delicious and filling to a fault.
But breakfast burritos don't have to be unhealthy. Fillings like veggies and
eggs that were often crowded out by the cheaper and fattier ingredients can be
elevated to star status in the dish. You'll create a quick, healthy breakfast
that can be eaten on the move (although the police department would discourage
trying to eat while driving).

By the way, here's a tip for easy-peasy
scrambled eggs or egg substitutes I learned from a "restaurant" in our last
office building that prepared a wide variety of hot dishes using only a
microwave. Scramble an egg in a coffee cup or small microwave-safe bowl.
Depending on your wattage, nuke it for 30 seconds to a minute, and
voila, scrambled eggs perfect for a sandwich or a burrito.

1 scrambled egg or egg substitute (or
tofu)

1 6-inch whole-grain tortilla

2 Tbsp. black beans, canned

2 Tbsp. low-fat cheddar cheese (or soy
cheese)

2 Tbsp. chopped tomato

2 Tbsp. chopped onion

Hot sauce to taste

What follows are the microwave directions.
You could alternatively scramble the egg and heat the beans in a small frying
pan.

Microwave scrambled egg or egg substitute
until cooked (see above for alternate cooking method). While egg is cooking,
spread out tortilla on a dinner plate or cutting board. Spread cooked egg in
the middle of one-half of the tortilla. Heat the beans in the microwave (not
too much or they'll explode!). While beans are heating, sprinkle cheese on
eggs, then pile on beans, tomatoes, and onions (if you don't have time to chop
fresh veggies, a healthy salsa could be substituted). Add hot sauce if desired.
Fold tortilla in half over the ingredients and fold in the sides. (This part
may take some practice. My first burrito-folding attempts usually resulted in a
dish I called burrito salad, but I eventually got the hang of it.)

Thursday: Fruit Parfait

The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that most
people should have at least NINE half-cup servings of fruits and vegetables per
day. So you can see that if you skip breakfast, you're really putting the
pressure on the rest of your meals. A diet high in fruits and veggies lowers
the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and blood sugar
problems, as well as offering many other health benefits. This recipe layers
yogurt with three different types of fresh fruit. You can substitute any other
fruit (preferably seasonal) for one of the fruits in this recipe. (For anyone
thinking of hitting the drive-thru at McDonald's® for its version
of this recipe, you could do worse in an emergency, but this is way
healthier.)

1-1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt (or soy
yogurt)

1 Tbsp. almonds, chopped fine

1 Tbsp. flaxseed, ground

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup apple, diced

1/2 cup cantaloupe, diced

In a tall glass, layer ingredients in the
following order: 1/2 cup yogurt, followed by a sprinkle of almonds, flaxseed,
and blueberries; repeat process with apples and cantaloupe (or whatever order
of fruit you choose). If presentation isn't that important to you, you could
just mix it all up in a bowl and eat it. (I live alone. No one's watching.)

Preparation time: 10
minutes (more or less depending on what needs chopping)

Nutritional information (per
serving):

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Protein

453

16
grams

57
grams

9
grams

27
grams

Friday: Tuna Salad Surprise

Have you ever noticed that some mornings the cat has a
healthier breakfast than you do? Tuna's not just for lunch anymore. In fact,
when we have our big, healthy employee breakfast at Beachbody, a big bowl of
this tuna recipe is usually the star of the buffet. Tuna is really high in
protein and a great source of vitamin D and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You
could mix it up by substituting canned salmon once in a while. This recipe
replaces fattening mayonnaise with healthy veggies and lemon juice for a
refreshing, high-energy breakfast (although we might suggest an after-breakfast
mint).

5 oz. canned tuna in water (if in oil,
skip olive oil)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice (or to taste)

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup green onions, diced

2 Tbsp. parsley and/or cilantro (or more
to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Raw jalapeno (if desired)

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and
season to taste. Chop in some raw jalapeno for extra zip!

Preparation time: 10
minutes

Nutritional information (per
serving):

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Protein

356

15
grams

12
grams

2
grams

43
grams

Saturday: Vegetable Frittata

Since it's the weekend, it might be nice to make
something you don't have to eat in the car. Frittatas are like omelets for the
oven. All the flavor, but you don't have to try to flip it on the stove top (or
onto the floor as the case may be.) It's a crowd-pleaser! Feel free to
experiment with other favorite veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms,
zucchini, etc.

6 eggs, beaten

1 cup fresh spinach, torn

1 tsp. garlic, crushed

2 medium plum tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup low-fat Swiss cheese (or soy
cheese), shredded

1 oz. Parmesan cheese (or soy cheese),
grated

Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray an
8-inch pie pan or baking dish with cooking spray. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then
mix in all ingredients. Pour into the pan. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until
the eggs are firm. Cut into 2 servings (like an omelet!).

Preparation time: 15 to 20
minutes

Nutritional information (per
serving; 1/2 frittata):

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Protein

414

23
grams

14
grams

4
grams

33
grams

Of course, you should feel free to eat any
of these breakfasts on any day of the week. And repeat your favorites. Most of
these can be integrated into your favorite Beachbody meal plan. Come back next
week for part two of our five-part series, and get recipes for 7 Days: 7
Lunches. Bon appetit!